Wednesday, December 23, 2009

November home sales soar
WASHINGTON - Home resales surged last month to the highest level in about three years, reflecting an extraordinary level of federal support that has pulled the housing market back from the worst downturn since the Great Depression.

Court bans sale of Word
SEATTLE - A federal appeals court ordered Microsoft Corp. to stop selling its Word program in January and pay a Canadian software company $290 million for violating a patent, upholding the judgment of a lower court.

People in business
Mark Hanbury joined Happy State Bank as vice president and commercial lender in Canadian. He is a Dalhart native and is relocating to Canadian with his family.

Tyson Foods CEO retires as a for-life consultant
MILWAUKEE - Leland Tollett, who left retirement to lead Tyson Foods Inc. out of an industry downturn, earned $533,459 as the company's interim CEO in 2009, according to an Associated Press calculation of figures filed with regulators.

Economy: On more solid footing
WASHINGTON - All signs suggest the economic recovery will end the year on firmer footing despite a report Tuesday that the economy grew at a 2.2 percent pace during the third quarter, less than previously thought.

Magnum Minerals will buy WIPP salt
The Energy Department's Carlsbad Field Office has reached an agreement to sell salt from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, N.M., to a Hereford company that will use it as a livestock feed supplement.

At meeting, OPEC leaves oil output unchanged
LUANDA, Angola - OPEC held its year-old output targets unchanged Tuesday, as the group grappled with overproduction by some in its ranks that could undercut efforts to support oil prices amid a fragile global economic recovery.

Bank will pay $217M for illegal wire transfers
WASHINGTON - The Treasury Department says Lloyds TSB Bank PLC has agreed to pay $217 million to settle claims that the bank manipulated money transfers to allow customers to skirt U.S. financial sanctions against Iran and other countries.

Dr. Gott: Solicitations for cancer research frustrating
Dear Dr. Gott: Would you explain why there are so many places to give money for cancer? We receive at least one request a week and sometimes as many as three or four seeking donations. Why don't they combine their programs?

Dear Abby: Couple's family planning of major concern
Dear Abby: My husband and I have been married two wonderful years. I was recently in a serious car accident and am currently unable to drive. The person who mainly drives me around is my husband, but sometimes friends and family take me to my appointments or to run errands. Recently, my husband announced that he will no longer take me to buy my birth control pills because he's ready to have a child and doesn't want to wait.

Heloise: Keep copy of medical records
Dear Heloise: I hope you don't mind if I add something about medical records: I urge all parents to keep a copy of their children's vaccination records. We had a painful experience with a medical provider going bankrupt; some of the records vanished and were never found. Thank goodness I had those yellow booklets with my children's inoculation histories to give to the new doctor, or heaven knows how I'd have verified them for school. - Jackie H., Brea, Calif.

Dear Abby: Nosy mom causes problems for daughter
Dear Abby: My mother is my best friend, but I can't stop yelling at her for invading my privacy. I have just learned that she has read all my journals since I was 9. She also figured out all my passwords to my e-mail, online blogs and social network accounts.

Athletes of the week
On the Court: Castleman scored 54 points for Amarillo High in two District 2-5A games last week. Castleman dominated crosstown rival Tascosa by scoring 33 points to go along with 14 rebounds in a 62-53 win.

Lady Sandies move into 2nd
The Amarillo High Lady Sandies claimed sole possession of second place in District 2-5A girls high school basketball Monday afternoon by rolling past San Angelo Central, 55-33, at the Amarillo High Activity Center.

Landry leads Rockets past Clippers, 108-99
In Houston, Carl Landry matched his career high with 27 points in his first game back after dental surgery, helping the Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 108-99, on Tuesday night.

All-Star setup pleases NBA
ARLINGTON - Jerry Jones is still hoping to have more than 100,000 people in Cowboys Stadium for the NBA All-Star game in February.

Grant to aid medical sharing
The Coalition of Health Services will receive a $250,000 grant to develop a system to safely and easily transfer patient health information among regional hospitals and providers.

NTSB:Nothing amiss
There were no mechanical deficiencies found in either engine of a plane that left the Texas Panhandle and then crashed in the Gulf of Mexico two weeks ago, killing two, according to a federal agency's preliminary findings.

Empty stocking: Grandfather doesn't have enough for gifts
For Christmas this year, Empty Stocking Recipient No. 30 and his 7-year-old granddaughter will be alone. The girl's mother abandoned her, and Recipient No. 30's wife is in prison. He recently started a job in construction after being unemployed for a few months. Because he is trying to get caught up on his bills, he said he won't have much to give his granddaughter for Christmas. He requests size 8 clothes for the child.

Amarillo court to shorten hours
The city of Amarillo Municipal Court will not follow its normal Thursday extended hours on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.

Suspects arrested in Pampa robbery
Two men were arrested Monday and charged with aggravated robbery after they allegedly robbed a Pampa convenience store and fled from police.

Local Glazer's layoffs to total about 12
Centralization of Glazer's Distributors operations in San Angelo will result in a curtailing of operations in Amarillo and the layoffs of about a dozen employees by Feb. 10.

Critics chide Hutchison's procedural vote
AUSTIN - Texas critics of the Washington health care overhaul were staging protests in Dallas, Houston and Austin on Monday to chide U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison for voting last week to end a procedural stalemate in the Senate.

Empty stocking: Couple strapped while caring for soldier's child
Empty Stocking Recipient No. 31 is a young couple with a 3-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son. They were struggling with bills, yet still making ends meet, when the wife's cousin was called to serve in Iraq. While the cousin is gone, the couple have custody of his 14-year-old daughter.

Ombudsman to oversee firm in lawsuit
DALLAS - A Houston lawyer will serve as a court-appointed ombudsman to monitor a venerable Texas company that has been cited for discriminating against black employees.

1,300 acres set aside
RAYMONDVILLE - Few things would venture into the dense, thorny scrub favored by the endangered ocelot. But with little of south Texas considered suitable habitat for the remaining 50 or fewer rare cats, the ocelots remain vulnerable.

Correction
A 1A story box published Monday incorrectly stated the Amarillo Police Department will save $4 million with 3 percent budget cuts. The city of Amarillo expects to save that amount, not APD.

Cowboys know work remains
IRVING - The Dallas Cowboys are two wins from bringing a playoff game to their new $1.2 billion showplace.

High Plains Food Bank canned sculpture winners
The High Plains Food Bank began this holiday season with a canned sculpture event sponsored by McCartt and Associates. Tenants of the Chase tower, Amarillo Building and the Wells Fargo Building participated in the contest to benefit the food bank.

Praiseworthy
Canyon resident William Walker spent the past fall at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he worked in the Mission Operations Directorate in the Cargo Integration and Operations Branch.

Nonprofit briefs
The middle school students at St. Andrew's Episcopal School on Dec. 17 presented the High Plains Food Bank with six wheel arrows full of tools for the Food Bank's new Community Garden.

ASCA menu
Meals are served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association, 1200 S. Polk St., for a suggested donation of $5 for members, $6 for nonmembers. All meals include salad, dessert and a beverage.

Community briefs
The AARP Tax Aide program is seeking volunteers to assist in tax preparation for seniors and families with limited income. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. You do not need to be a member of AARP or a retiree.

Sign-up Roundup
HOOP 10's New Year 3 V 3 Tournament for boys and girls will be Jan. 2 at the Carter Fitness Center at Amarillo College, 2011 S. Washington St. Registration deadline is Monday.

Calling all New Year's babies
Last year, Bruce Beck wrote a column about the disadvantages of being a New Year's baby and quite a few people wrote to say they, too, were born Jan. 1.

Wesley menu
Meals are served at Wesley Community Senior Center, 1615 S. Roberts St. Breakfast is served from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Lunch is served at noon. There is a $2 charge. Meals are for seniors, 55 and older.

Canyon students advance in HOSA competition
The following Canyon High School Health Occupations Students Association members advanced to the HOSA area competition Feb. 19-20 at the Amarillo Area Center for Advanced Learning in Amarillo:

League of Women Voters revises its elected-officials brochure
The Amarillo League of Women Voters has published a revised edition of its "Facts for Potter and Randall County Voters" brochure, which contains the names of elected officials on local, state and national levels and how citizens can contact them to express an opinion or ask a question.